Issue date: 4/14/08 Section: News

Media Credit: Carmela Aquino/DP Senior Photographer Chicago-based rock band OK Go performs at the Spring Fling concert. The group was the first to perform in a show that also. [Click to enlarge]

Even the pouring rain couldn't dampen spirits at the Spring Fling concert Friday night.

Hosted by the concerts and SPEC-TRUM subcommittees of the Social Planning and Events Committee, the concert featured rock group OK Go and indie hip-hop band Gym Class Heroes along with rapper Ludacris, who headlined the show.

But although Ludacris was the most anticipated performer of the evening, students say that Gym Class Heroes stole the show.

College sophomore Madison Kramer, a self-described Ludacris fan, said Gym Class Heroes was his favorite band of the evening.

College freshman Natalie Capasso said she liked Gym Class Heroes's new material, especially "that index finger song." She added that the concert featured "a great juxtaposition of musical forces."

Gym Class Heroes drummer Matt McGinley said he enjoyed playing to a very receptive crowd. He added that the audience was "drunker" and better looking than their usual audience but "definitely more educated in terms of their scholastic pursuits."

College sophomore and SPEC concerts co-director Preston Hershorn said SPEC has heard "nothing but positive things" from concert-goers. He added that although they were worried about the rain beforehand, they were relieved to find students didn't mind getting wet.

The rain caused some, like Engineering freshman Arielle Evans, to leave halfway through Ludacris' performance, but College freshman Anna Zhu said the rain actually enhanced her experience.

"It was awesome to be soaking wet and dancing to Ludacris," Capasso said.

Even College senior Cory Nanus, who was in the first row of the mosh pit, said the rain didn't bother him.

The concert was larger than last year's in Wynn Commons by about 5,000 people, and Hershorn said that SPEC Concerts was pleasantly surprised when the tickets sold out around 9 or 9:30 Friday night.

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